Topic: Help me choose a laptop (Lenovo Ideapad Y710? Other suggestions?)

[mmret]

Well thats how the vendors operate, most of them, different type of service for business users and consumers.

I have also found this to be the case.

Old Inspiron laptop = utter crap.

Old Latitude laptop = pretty good service

Mother's current Latitude laptop, must be 4 years old, I swear they have replaced the entire machine twice by now. But they keep on fixing it for free! Still a crap notebook tho.

Old Thinkpad i1300 (truly the crappiest Thinkpad around) = still good, they replaced the motherboard for me even thought it was a month out of warranty

T60 = good, new battery, new screen housing, fast too, etc.

Mitlov's Ideapad = obviously bad

[SkiBunny]

But I'm not in a situation where "many years have passed."  I'm still fighting Lenovo to get my money back on the lemon they shipped me two weeks ago.  Try putting yourself in my shoes.  Would you really go and buy another Lenovo this soon after being shipped a lemon and then treated like crap by their customer service?

I agree no way.  IBM used to give a 21-day hassle-free return on thinkpads in the US (30 days in canada) with full refund incl shipping.  Lenovo changed all that.    

Maybe ask for advice on thinkpads.com or on the lenovo forum about any helpful ideas on how to get refund.  

One thing I've successfully done to get a refund from a shady company is dispute it with my c/card company.  Have someone who is an "expert" (eg., anyone working in I/T) to examine the laptop and document its defect, then return it to lenovo (with shipping confirmation) and do a chargeback on your c/card.  During the process of the dispute, provide the c/card company with the expert letter and proof of return shipment.  It's worked for me.  

I know it's a real -off.  Don't let the buggers get away with it.  Good luck

[The Mighty Duck]

^ This sounds like a great idea to me!  Credit Card companies are, in my experience, very happy to work for their customers (with good reason!).  It might be worthwhile to talk to a rep beforehand, but it might be your best shot.  Visa or MasterCard would have a lot more weight and time to argue with Lenovo than you on your own...

[Mitlov]

The 21st day since the purchase is Tuesday.  So...

(1)  The purchase has already long cleared with my credit card company, and

(2)  I'm up against the wall to get this thing back in the mail, so I can't mess around with getting local techs to confirm the problems I'm having.  I can't risk blowing my chance to wash my hands of this POS just to help bolster my position in the fight to get back a $250 "restocking fee."

[initial_D]

Sorry to heard your bad experience with the laptop, Mitlov.

[SkiBunny]

The 21st day since the purchase is Tuesday.  So...

(1)  The purchase has already long cleared with my credit card company, and

(2)  I'm up against the wall to get this thing back in the mail, so I can't mess around with getting local techs to confirm the problems I'm having.  I can't risk blowing my chance to wash my hands of this POS just to help bolster my position in the fight to get back a $250 "restocking fee."

You have longer than 21 days since the purchase to dispute a c/card charge... usually 30-60 days after you receive the c/card statement containing the charge.

As for returning, isn't it a matter of obtaining the returing the return authorization number from the vendor within 21 days.  That return auth number is usually good for a week or two thereafter, meaning you must put the item into the mail within a week of being given the return authorization number.

It doesn't take long to get someone to confirm the problem... anyone with technical competence willing to do so can do it.  I used a friend at work.  He just typed a note into Word stating the problem and identifying the machine model/serial, written "to whom it may concern", signed with his personal address & phone, and most importantly stated his qualifications for making his opinion (eg., job or degree or experience etc).  It took ten minutes.

You'll get your full refund then.  The c/card will side with your story.

Actually, last year I bought a new T61 from Lenovo and returned it unopened.  They never refunded me.  Even after I called and called.  Opened a dispute with mastercard.  Mastercard reversed the full charge plus shipping. True story. 

[Mitlov]

Actually, last year I bought a new T61 from Lenovo and returned it unopened.  They never refunded me.  Even after I called and called.  Opened a dispute with mastercard.  Mastercard reversed the full charge plus shipping. True story. 

You had that experience with Lenovo, and you're still encouraging others to buy Lenovos?  Seriously?? 

[wing]

Apple is rumoured to announce new macbooks that are aluminum and a macbook at $800?

[Mitlov]

Visited the Apple online store this morning, and this is what I found:



Anticipation is building...

[safristi]

..FEr "Naught"...Nada wrong wif dat(a) eh!!!

[The Mighty Duck]

Pretty swanky machines!  There's a couple fatal flaws that would prevent me from buying the new MacBook, but I've pretty well decided my next machine will be a desktop anyway... 



17" MBP hasn't been updated yet, if you're dead set on the bigger screen though.  Depending who you ask, that might be a good thing: lots of criticism of the new design on the web already.

[safristi]

Lap tops...sez Wifey...."They've got a  tiny lil foot print...tiny lil key boards and tiny lil ****s.... mammaries fer twice tha PRICE...GET REAL.........It don't Rain on Indian-APPLES 'cos there's only two of 'em in "merica............

[Mitlov]

Pretty swanky machines!  There's a couple fatal flaws that would prevent me from buying the new MacBook, but I've pretty well decided my next machine will be a desktop anyway... 

17" MBP hasn't been updated yet, if you're dead set on the bigger screen though.  Depending who you ask, that might be a good thing: lots of criticism of the new design on the web already.

Two weeks with a 17" Lenovo taught me that 15.5" is enough for me, and the price difference between a 15" MBP and a 17" is huge.  Once I get some money back from Lenovo, I'm going to get the new MacBook Pro 15" 2.4 GHz with fully upgraded RAM and hard drive.

Sure, there's a lot of criticism, but not for reasons I care about.  People are complaining about glossy screens as standard, but I like glossy.  Some people are complaining that there's no increase in processor power, but I like the new trackpad, the new video setup (integrated graphics with an on-demand discrete graphics GPU), and the idea of a unibody instead of body-on-frame construction.

[wing]

The glossy screen is a big downer for me.  Is your desktop monitor glossy?  I doubt it.  Colours are reproduced more correctly on the matte screen and using the laptop outdoors becomes easier, as well as not having to worry about office florescent glaring.  I don't get why they are going glossy when everything else is matte.

[The Mighty Duck]

The vast majority of laptop screens are glossy.  Check out HP or Dell's offerings - same thing.  It's not a big deal.  The only people really pissed about glossy are graphic designers/video editors...  I have some smypathy for them, but OTOH LCDs have never been touted as being good for colour correction.

The iMacs have been glossy since the last revision, and their screens are gorgeous.

I think the new machines are fantastic, the new Pro especially.  I'm annoyed they ditched FireWire on the MacBook, though.  I have a FireWire external harddrive, and love it.  My USB external interferes with the computer's sleep habits.  Not to mention Apple finally gave the MacBook the capability to edit digital video, but took away the ability to actually capture video... 

I'm also annoyed they a) increased Canadian prices and b) reduced the educational discount.  $100 off a $1700 notebook was a joke to begin with.  $50 off a $1700 notebook is hardly worth the hassle.

EDIT: Typos.

[UmroAyyar]

Have used both glossy and matte screens. Glossy is too distracting due to reflection.

Matte screen is a must for me, its a lot easier on my eyes, text, spreadsheets, occasional games.

[Mitlov]

The glossy screen is a big downer for me.  Is your desktop monitor glossy?  I doubt it.  Colours are reproduced more correctly on the matte screen and using the laptop outdoors becomes easier, as well as not having to worry about office florescent glaring.  I don't get why they are going glossy when everything else is matte.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Y-Series laptops (like the one I had) are only available with a glossy.  The colors seemed much brighter and the picture much sharper on the Lenovo then they do on my matte-screened PowerBook.

[wing]

Yes they appear brighter but they aren't as "true" that's the difference.

But after having both I understand the matte, the matte is easier on the eyes and less of a hassle due to reflections.  I love it.  I don't think PC laptops come with matte screens at all, only the mac's did and was one reason I bought one.  Maybe the matte will return by the time I buy another.

[UmroAyyar]

Yes they appear brighter but they aren't as "true" that's the difference.

But after having both I understand the matte, the matte is easier on the eyes and less of a hassle due to reflections.  I love it.  I don't think PC laptops come with matte screens at all, only the mac's did and was one reason I bought one.  Maybe the matte will return by the time I buy another.

Thinkpads had it. I got one. and other business class machines from Dell Latitude, HP, Fujitsu, Sony, Toshiba, Asus.

[wing]

Right, business class machines -- they know what's up.  What's with apple?  Too hip now I guess.